1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to user location based control mechanisms of comfort devices. More specifically, the present invention is directed to user location based control mechanisms of comfort devices using at least one mobile device associated with a user.
2. Background Art
Conventional control of comfort devices, e.g., space heating and cooling systems and hot water heating systems does not include user location or even user presence as an input to provide targeted heating or cooling or availability of hot water. Without targeted heating or cooling and knowledge of the presence of users, heating or cooling and hot water may be provided to parts of a building where they are not actually used. Unused heating and cooling eventually ends up as wastes as heat, a product of heating, can escape through the shell of the building or ambient heat can be absorbed through the shell of the building, rendering cooling ineffective. In addition to wastes, non-targeted heating or cooling also causes the need to heat or cool the entire building all of the time causing the heating or cooling system delays in achieving its setpoint temperature.
Thus, there is a need for a control system of a comfort device which controls the comfort device according to a user's demand.